Prosecutor David Meredith told the court that Jittavech, who is the son of a Thai judge, was an international student at Griffith University and was in a relationship with Kazak student Saginay Batyrkhanova.

The court heard the couple had a child but their relationship was marred by violence and arguments over Jittavech's wife and child in Thailand.

Mr Meredith said Ms Batyrkhanova took out a domestic violence order against Jittavech in 2011, two months before he stabbed her to death in their bedroom while the couple's infant son lay nearby.

He later told police he had been thinking about killing her for several weeks.